How to name beneficiaries and fund a trust at Community Bank

Covers 10 deposit, and 2 retirement accounts — beneficiaries must be updated in-branch

Community Bank

Subsidiary of Community Financial System, Inc.

cbna.com
C

Customer Care Center

Banking by Phone
After-hours card/fraud line
International Callers

Customer Care Center / Nottingham Trust

Customer Care Center

Verified Jul 2026

Preparing your Community Bank accounts for estate transfer involves two primary strategies: designating beneficiaries on individual accounts and, where supported, retitling accounts into a revocable living trust. Both approaches bypass probate, but they work differently depending on the account type.

With 12 product types, Community Bank offers a range of transfer options. Some accounts support Payable on Death (POD) designations, others can be retitled into a trust, and some require probate if no beneficiary is designated. The sections below break down each step.

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1
Visit a local Community Bank branch (see cbna.com/locations) with government-issued photo ID
2
Provide the beneficiary information for each account:
  • For deposit accounts (checking, savings, money market, CDs): add a Payable on Death (POD) beneficiary
  • For IRAs: complete the IRA beneficiary designation form
3
Provide each beneficiary's full legal name and, if naming multiple beneficiaries, the percentage allocation
4
Review and sign the designation form with a branch representative

Required Documents

  • Trust name, date established, and tax ID (EIN or SSN)

Special Requirements

  • POD and beneficiary designations are completed at a branch; call the Customer Care Center at 1-866-764-8638 to confirm the required forms
  • Named beneficiaries pass outside of probate and override instructions in a will
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Sources

Data sourced from Community Bank primary sources (13 pages reviewed). How we research.

Download these Community Bank instructions

Download instructions for the whole estate

A printable PDF with the steps, required documents, and contact details — verified against Community Bank primary sources. Bring it to the branch or keep it beside the phone.

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